Saturday, April 10, 2010

This is what happens when you get three of the top four players in the world rankings together on a Saturday afternoon at Augusta National, throw a little magic dust in the air and tell them there's a green jacket waiting for someone.

Three days in, this Masters has already been one of those that will be talked about for years.

The only thing it hasn't had is a conclusion.

That comes Sunday afternoon.

It's possible that K.J. Choi or Ricky Barnes might win this Masters but it's not likely. Nor is it likely that the beloved Fred Couples will become the first 50-year old winner of the Masters.

Most likely, Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods will sort things out among themselves on a Sunday forecast to be as beautiful as it is intriguing.

Woods must do the most work, starting four strokes behind, but he's the most capable of doing it. This week has already been an overwhelming success for him with his return to the public stage but if he finds a way to win, it will rank alongside his 2008 U.S. Open victory on a broken leg as the greatest win of his career.

He must hit the ball better and hole more putts than he did Saturday but if it's a battle of wills, Woods has the advantage.

Mickelson has talked like a potential champion all week. He said he's more relaxed playing Augusta National because it gives him more freedom to play to his strengths, which don't necessarily include his accuracy off the tee. He also has his family with him at a tournament for the first time in nearly a year and there's a storybook quality to what he's working on.

Then there's Westwood, who seems due to win a major. He's ranked fourth in the world and belongs there. He might buckle on Sunday but I doubt it. He's too confident and playing too well. On the other hand, no player has ever played four rounds in the 60s at the Masters. To win, Westwood may have to be the first.